Modeling and simulation of combustion of coal with high ash content with desulphurization by limestone

Author(s)

Anderson Antonio Ubices de Moraes

• Document type: Doctoral Thesis
• Press: São Carlos.
• Institution: Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Escola de Engenharia de São Carlos (EESC/SBD)
• Defense date: 2011-04-25

Examining board members

Fernando Eduardo Milioli; Fernando de Lima Camargo; Lourival Jorge Mendes Neto; Helio Aparecido Navarro; Josmar Davilson Pagliuso

• Advisor: Fernando Eduardo Milioli

Abstract

Energy generation through coal combustion imposes heavy environmental impacts due to pollutant emissions. The process of fluidized bed combustion distinguishes in this context allowing for emission reductions of \'SO IND.X\' and \'NO IND.X\' above 90%. The design, scaling-up, and optimization of fluidized bed reactors are mostly empirical, through small-scale demonstration plant developments. The costs and times of implementation involved in those developments are huge, making theoretical tools of analysis highly desirable. In this work modeling and simulation are performed for atmospheric bubbling fluidized bed combustion of high ash high sulfur coals, including desulfurization by limestone. A phenomenological approach to modeling is applied. Comparison of predictions are made against empirical measurements performed in the NETF pilot plant, and parametric studies are developed to evaluate reactor performances. The comparisons show both agreements and disagreements, qualitative as well as quantitative, between predictions and measured gas concentrations and particulate size distributions. This points to the necessity for improvements on the phenomenological modeling procedure that was applied, notably regarding the empirical correlations and data that were considered. Despite the discrepancies, the model produces good quantitative results of sulfur absorption efficiency in comparison to the empirical data. (AU)